


First Impressions

by TrashCompactor



Category: Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Criminal AU, Heist, M/M, Slow Burn, but slightly to the left, it will all be explained
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2020-07-11 21:00:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19934422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashCompactor/pseuds/TrashCompactor
Summary: Working under the Decepticons' criminal branch wasn't all so bad, so Bumblebee thought. Until he bumped into one of Megatron's lackeys, anyways, and since then his life has not known peace...-- --Also known as Be Gay, Do Crimes, the TFA fic. Read the notes for a briefing of the AU!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AU DEBRIEFING- 0001
> 
> HUMANFORMERS (aka Humanized, no robotic relations) set in DETROIT in the same environment as the show.  
> ISAAC SUMDAC (Sumdac Systems) and PROMETHEUS BLACK (Meltdown Industries) are rival engineers.  
> Prometheus gets secret funding and illegal tech from the DECEPTICONS, a sprawling crime syndicate run by MEGATRON and his underlings.  
> BUMBLEBEE and BLURR are partners who work under Nino "NANOSEC" Sexton and Sam "SLO-MO" Lomow.  
> Human names were AVOIDED to not cause confusion.
> 
> Any other questions about the AU? Leave a comment/critique!  
> This fic was semi-beta'd by my good friend (who doesn't know Transformers for squat, big thanks to you buddy)

“You idiot-- do you have to make me to say it? I’m in love with you!” 

Bumblebee took in three deep, harsh breaths. His hands were clenched tight in rage. His eyes burned mad. 

“I’m glad you finally found the courage to tell me,” Blitzwing began, “but right now? When I’m your hostage?”

Bee gazed down his blasters, primed and alert, at the huddle of fetal business workers against a corner of the room. Their hands patted their heads, and others watched him like frightened beasts. His new pal, Blitzwing, was among them.

The minor absurdity of the situation began to catch up with Bumblebee, he grimaced and tightened the grip on his hand weapons. They charged to life with an ozone blue crackle. It really took him back.

Bee saw himself standing firm in Nino Sexton’s hideaway, arms stretched in front of him as he tried the blasters for the first time. They were tucked in a “training room”, reinforced by thick padding along the walls and littered by all sorts of machine parts and wires. The charge lights of the weapons bled to life, the gears inside beginning to whir as a powerful blast shot forward and blew a fist-sized hole in a target dummy’s chest. The blasters trembled and clicked sporadically as they powered down, but Bee was only minorly afraid of them catching fire.

He felt Sexton clap him on the shoulder. “And that’s how it’s done.” He turned Bumblebee around to show off the machinery to a group of investors. 

Bee’s boss had ran to him that morning saying Megatron himself would be dropping in to test out some experimental machinery Sexton had been quietly working on. After having successfully nipped the speed suits from Sumdac’s lab some months ago, Sexton had been looking more into the technical end of things to give himself an edge during their heists. He’d managed to gather enough to craft two whole new models for Bee and Blurr, which were still here and there in working out bugs, but a way to incapacitate the new mechanical cops using something that could go beyond their metal encasing was a hole Sexton had been delving into.

“These are just a proof of concept, anyways. These babies alone can fire off ten small charges, but with some of your gents’ mechanical expertise they would be able to take out a legion of tin can feds in a few seconds flat.” Sexton proudly explained.

One of the four businessmen feigned a sympathetic look. The man was sporting a well-fitted purple suit and a grey scarf that draped down his back. Interestingly, Bee had noted the man wearing heels when he’d first entered. As Bumblebee got to stand for a better look at him now, he noticed a beauty mark under the man’s eye and his well kept, slicked-back hair.

“Mr Sexton, I must admit the creativity you’ve shown us is charming. Though your, erm, craftsmanship could use some polishing…” He gestured to the blasters. Bee would never have said it out loud, but he had to agree with Beauty Mark. The weapons were practically held together with superglue and a prayer. As soon as Bee lifted up an arm to inspect, one of the metal plates fell off with a loud _klang!_

Sexton nervously dropped for the plate, laughing off the moment as he tried to fit it back on. “Yes, uh, it is a prototype after all--”

“No, I must say, he’s done quite enough here.” Another of the group piped in. This man stood tall and stiff, like he’d over-starched his expensive outfit. His pants poofed out at the thighs like in old German war films, which Bumblebee figured related to the accent. The most interesting feature was the cap he wore, with a curtain of fabric covering down the man’s neck. “Your engineering is cute, but this isn’t the State Science Fair.” He added with a sneer, “A few weak shocks isn’t going to take down an armored officer.”

The first man held up a hand. “As I was just about to get to,” his voice timbered on aggressive territory before he returned to Sexton, “I think while your little experiment here might seem rather bare bones, I don’t see a reason we wouldn’t want to give it a proper field test?” He seemed to glance back towards Megatron, of which him and the last of his cronies had remained silent for the better part of the meeting.

“After all,” the businessman in the scarf continued, “Sexton contacted me promising a project that could be taken to bigger heights! We no doubt have the resources-” 

“You fool!” The last, oafish looking fellow with an eyepatch and arms thick enough to crush a tree stepped forward. “Megatron does not wish to waste his time and money sculpting clay that should have already been molded to his liking!” He bellowed.

While the rest of the group had begun a heavy back-and-forth, the moment Megatron pulled his hands behind his back the screaming match had been silenced. All eyes clearly on him for the final verdict. His tone came like sawdust. “I must thank you for your efforts, Sexton, but we have our own set of scientists to come up with… mediocre weaponry for testing.” 

Bumblebee watched his boss just about flounder. The metal plate fell off again, and Sexton looked stuck between wanting to pick it back up and reaching out to stop the group. “Wa-wait, let’s discuss business ends first! I promise it packs a lot more than you might think.”

Megatron fished a packet of cigarettes from his coat pocket, already turning on his heel for the door. The man in the scarf turned from almost amiable to giving Sexton a hawkish glare. “That’ll be all. You heard Megatron.” The group began to file out. The German man gave Bumblebee a passing glance, and some kind of smile Bee couldn’t decipher. 

As the heavy iron door swung shut, Sexton remained with his back to Bumblebee, stiff as a statue. Bee felt the need to clear his throat. “Well, looks like that was a bust.” 

His boss gave a sigh, his shoulders sagging for a moment, before he gave Bee another clap on the back. “I guess you can’t win ‘em all, huh. I might just stick to working on the speed suit for now.” Sexton led them both out of the room.

\-- --

The sun was beating down outside. Bumblebee shielded his eyes with one hand to better see the sidewalk stretched before him. Toting an armful of groceries was so miserable this way, but at least the streets of downtown Detroit remained pretty empty. Anyone sane was likely holed inside around their AC units. Though Bumblebee dressed light in some cargo shorts and flip flops, he could practically feel his skin cooking under the sun as his black tank top clung with sweat. His phone suddenly started buzzing, and Bee groaned. 

Bumblebee pulled off by a building with an awning, dropping his groceries to fish it out. He answered without bothering to read the ID. “Yellow.”

“Bumblebee, it’s Slo Mo. There’s been an issue- a big one.” That was Samantha: straight to the point. Her tone kicked him square into fight mode, ready for the next mission.

“What’s happening?”

“Blurr tells me we’ve forgotten several things from the list you went off with. Bell peppers, onions, and coffee creamer? You’re going to need to head back to the supermarket, lickedy split. No smelling the roses. Got it?”

“Are you serious? I’ve been hoofing this trip on foot, I’m almost halfway back, and you expect me to turn around and do it again?” Bee ran his hand through his frizzed hair in disbelief. “Why can’t Blurr do it himself? He’s the one with a car.” He stepped out of the way for a stranger to walk by before he’d idly glanced into the windows of the shop. From the outside, at least, it had looked like a shop. Bee spotted an empty studio with polished wood floors, a wall entirely of mirrors, and a troupe of dancers beginning their warm ups on the bar. 

Notably, the figure that caught his eye was the one he’d met during Nanosec’s showing to Megatron. The man with the beige cap and the neck cover, though admittedly missing his cap, Bee was sure it was the same guy. He had his leg extended on the bar, his body bent forward with such dexterity. Bumblebee could see the definition of muscles in his legs, the practiced grace of his hands. Bee completely forgot he was on the phone until the man had locked eyes with him.

Samantha was in the middle of a sentence, probably repeating a word in different ways for emphasis. “I’m gonna call you back.” Bee hung up. The dancer dropped his pose and briefly spoke to someone at the door. He started making his way out of the studio. 

Bee started to panic. Yeah, there was the general rule about not talking to other criminals in public for association reasons, but Bee hadn’t even done so much as looked at him! Bumblebee picked up his forgotten groceries and turned tail, full bent on escaping his presumed beating.

He hadn’t made it farther than ten feet before he heard the door swing open. “Wait!” Bee heard from behind.

“I don’t know you, I’m sorry! I’m going!” He was debating on breaking into a sprint before he felt a hand on his shoulder that spun him around. 

“My, eager to get away are we.” The dancer gave him a deceptively friendly smile, and without the cap on Bee noted the man’s haircut. It was trimmed neat and short behind the ears, with a tight curl of fluff at the very top. His skin was a rich brown, a bit darker than Bee’s, and there were a pair of square glasses perched on his thin nose. “You don’t want to say hello?”

Bee couldn’t help his sputtering. “I-- Wh-- Last time I saw you, you called my boss an idiot and stormed out with your posse.” 

The man simply laughed to himself, he stepped back and gave Bee a noncommittal shrug. “Yes, well, business is as cutthroat as they say. I must admit, you weren’t a bad shot handling the blasters, for as poorly crafted as they were.”

“What are you doing here?” Bee blurted. The man looked caught off guard, as if Bee had asked him what color the sky was.

“I… I’m a performer for Ballet Detroit?” Only then did Bumblebee happen to glance down, to his own credit, and notice the company’s logo emblazoned across the man’s chest.

“Oh!… No kidding.” He muttered dumbly. A brief silence settled then, for what felt like ages. Bee became uncomfortably aware of the sweat prickling the back of his neck, and the weight of the grocery bags still held tight in his hand. “I should probably, um--”

“It’s Blitzwing, by the way.” Bee saw a slender hand extended into his view. “I apologize for keeping you, I’m sure you have places to be.”

He blinked hard for a few seconds before returning the gesture. “Bumblebee, and don’t worry about it, just the-- uh, the folks. Y’know how it is.” Bee pulled a smile that felt far too awkward on his mouth to be attractive.

Blitzwing grinned back. “After our brief meeting, I believe I’ve got a good idea.” He gave a wink that Bee would have to wonder about later. “Well, I suppose you know where to find me on my weekends now.”

“This doesn’t mean I’m gonna start seeing dudes in black limos follow me around is it?” Bee was surprised that Blitzwing actually began to laugh. He seemed to be in a much better mood than the last time they met.

“Why, are we doing something conspiratory right now?” Blitzwing crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow.

“Well-- no! Most suit types don’t like to be seen hanging around known criminals, anyways.”

Blitzwing hummed in thought. Bumblebee idly wondered how the heat wasn’t turning this poor guy to mush. “Tell you what. Meet me out here Sunday and we can grab a coffee or something. I won’t be working, if it’s me being in a suit you’re so worried about.”

Bee started taking some small steps backwards. “I’m, um, also busy,” he sheepishly admitted, “I should really get going.”

“Oh, that’s a shame,” Blitz said defeatedly, “maybe another time then. Be seeing you!” He gave a jovial wave.

Bee returned it half heartedly, half still caught in the awkward whiplash of the last impression he got from Blitzwing: the stuffy German comfortable enough to snuff someone under his heel without a passing glance. 

The remainder of his walk was about six blocks, which left Bee plenty of time to dwell on what possessed Blitzwing to invite him for coffee. He hadn’t even spoken to the guy ‘til just then! What was the first thing he’d said to Blitzwing? _‘I don’t know you, I’m sorry,’_ ? Not a very smooth first impression.

Bee rounded the corner he’d come to follow by heart and saw the old clock tower up ahead. The streets in downtown Detroit kept an older, historic look to them. It also happened to be just in line with his bosses’ main looks, but that was neither here nor there for him, he just got a place to sleep out of it.

He had an odd sort of relationship with Nanosec and Slo Mo, Bee supposed. Him and Blurr worked for the couple, joining in on their heists, now that the two boys had their own speed suits. Outside of any actual action, however, the four were like some big, dysfunctional family. If your family happened to give you a cut of profits from robberies. It was a solid gig.

As Bee stepped through the door, he was greeted with the musty smell of dust and metal workshop. He kicked his flip flops off into the pile of shoes at the door. “I’m back,” he called out, “if you need those other things, Blurr can drive himself!”

“Why do I have to be the one to waste the gas money, it’s just a few blocks down the road!” Blurr distantly complained.

“Just on the weekends.” Bee replied, making his way up the winding metal spiral stairs to the common area. He spotted Blurr’s blue mess of hair, evidently not gelled back as he usually had it, lounging on the armrest of the couch in front of the TV. 

The whole place was hardwood floors that creaked under every step and solid brick walls. The face of the clock tower stood to the far wall from the stairs, the old gears and cranks sitting ill used since the place must’ve been shut down. A large metal pole grew from the center of the floor, but the space was just wide enough for there to be a couch, a TV, a dresser, and a dehumidifier. The contractors clearly didn’t intend for people to try living in this space, but the four managed to toss their junk around comfortably anyways. Lots of photos and posters hung from the walls to cover up the ugly stone. A few clotheslines were strung here and there, some clothes still sitting on them. 

Blurr turned his head from the couch, giving him a curious look. “What’s your issue, huh Bee? You didn’t manage to get into trouble on a grocery run, did you?”

Bee averted his gaze and kept moving to the next room. “Nah, jeez, gimme a break.” He dropped his groceries onto the counter.

“Oh, by the way,” Blurr needled, “protection taxes are next week. It’s your turn to join Sam and Nino.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People aren't always what they seem. As Bumblebee helps pay on protection taxes he bumps into someone that still leaves him as confused as he was last time.  
> (ShockBlurr is mentioned)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU DEBRIEFING- 0002
> 
> SHOCKWAVE. Double agent for the Decepticons, working undercover as a head scientist for SUMDAC SYSTEMS. His primary goal is to STEAL TECH and INFORMATION to bring back to MELTDOWN INDUSTRIES about Sumdac's plans in the science field.   
>  RATCHET. Works for LOCKDOWN in the dead-end district. He runs a clinic to provide aid for those in need, where LOCKDOWN runs a BLACK MARKET providing ILLEGAL GOODS and, namely, INFORMATION.
> 
> Be sure to comment/critique, they're always appreciated.  
> Thanks again to my friend for beta-ing.

Bee kicked his legs on the chair impatiently. The thick, yellow pedes of his speed suit created a dull thunk against the metal each time they hit. Nino and Sam had been in negotiations with Megatron for some time now, possibly discussing recent activity and haul, and mostly to pay up on their “protection tax” which was a funny way of saying “give me money so I don’t come over there and blast you guys to kingdom come, then frame it as an accident”. He was alone lounging in the fancy hallway of Meltdown’s HQ. House of Prometheus: the megalomaniacal scientist, and secret carrier of the Decepticon criminal branch. 

Meltdown Industry was an extremely refined building, inside and out. Where the Decepticons had to discuss their dirty work, however, was away from the fancy high rise windows of Prometheus’ usual business halls. The floors still had hotel-patterned carpeting, which meant Bee couldn’t run up and down the corridor without leaving skid marks on some wool-woven fabric worth more than his life. He didn’t care much to listen to both parties ramble about business relations, so he preferred to hang outside. On the downside, Bee had trouble finding ways to keep himself busy through the affair. 

He got up to stretch and figured a short walk around the building couldn’t hurt, he wouldn’t be gone more than five minutes tops. As Bumblebee neared the end of the hall he could hear the distant sound of machines at work. The carpet ended, replaced by pristine linoleum tiling and sterile air as he peeked his head through the open doorway. Bee could see up several stories high, with a square network of walkways and overpasses leading to different test rooms. He spotted a few workers and scientists walking around, checking on papers, but no one seemed to pay him any mind.

Bumblebee suppressed a mischievous grin. He glanced back down the hall to make sure no one was watching before he took a few steps out. Five minutes, he mentally reminded himself, five minutes of goofing around before he’d probably have gotten into trouble at some point. Bee took the hall to his left, as it seemed pretty void of any workers. He gazed into the passing windows at all sorts of shelves and cabinets of different chemicals, there were scientists at work benches mixing together ingredients, but nothing exploded or sparked so Bee got tired of that pretty quickly.

Taking another corridor, he snuck behind a group of researchers. They were staring into an empty room through thick blast glass. Bee cocked an eyebrow, curious to what they were waiting for until a thick, sopping tentacle smacked against the glass. Bee held back the urge to shriek and watched as a creature swung down from the ceiling. The beast looked like Frankenstein’s first failed monster experiment, or a computer tried to load several animals at the same time, and they all got caught between each other. There was a lion’s head, a bull’s chest, one arm that had patches of bright red fur ending with a hoof, and the other arm that looked like an octopus tentacle, the legs were dark emerald and segmented like an insect. 

The scientists in front of him gave barely any reaction. Some started to jot things down, others stepped even closer to the glass to inspect the subject. “Poor Brandon always said he had a lion’s appetite.” One of the scientists began. “You think it was a coincidence the serum gave him the head of one?” The creature, apparently Brandon, stalked around its cell and let out a reedy shriek. Bumblebee decided he’d scarred himself enough for one day and made a sneaky escape.

He managed to take the catwalk to one of the few rooms higher up from the ground floor. Bee was peering into the window of another testing room, this one thankfully without the mutant prisoners. The glass had been darkened, but with his hands over his eyes he could make out two figures moving about. Bursts of light would sometimes appear, Bee supposed it was a welding tool. He’d become so entranced in figuring out what was going on that he didn’t hear the footsteps behind him.

“What are you doing here?” Bee practically leapt out of his spot.

“Nothing, nothing! I swear I was--!” He spun around with an excuse on the tip of his tongue before all coherent thought melted out of him. “You again?!”

To Blitzwing’s credit, he hardly looked phased. “Yep. Me again. So tell me what you’re doing snooping around the laboratory?” He held an important looking manilla folder under one arm, the other tucked behind his back.

Bee felt his face heat up, totally from his nerves. “Oh just, yknow, takin’ a stroll. Nino and Sam were taking way too long with Megatron, so I thought I might, uh, stretch my legs.” 

Blitzwing lowered his eyes at him, and Bumblebee tried to swallow his anxiety. “And the reason I shouldn’t report you to my higher ups for walking around where you’re not supposed to?” Bee could only give him a pathetically guilty smile. “We have much… what’s the word, confidential information here?”

“You’re not, uh… happy to see me, Blitzy?”

Blitzwing seemed vacant for a moment before he broke his gaze to push up his glasses. “Frankly I’m surprised, and if you don’t return to the business hall soon I’ll have to call security to escort you back.” He started to turn on his heel, giving Bumblebee a sidelong look that must’ve meant he wasn’t kidding.

Bee threw his arms out before trying to keep up with the man. “What gives, Blitzbrain? You’re acting real pissed all of a sudden. Is the work draggin’ you down?” 

Blitzwing seemed to take in a breath before he spoke calmly. “It’s none of your concern, little Bee.” He took them down the path back towards the meeting rooms, Blitz’s long stride left Bee having to keep up a faster pace. 

Bumblebee kicked on the wheels of his pedes, zooming himself just ahead of Blitzwing so he could flip around and face him. “No, come on. Humor me. How’s your day been? What exactly is it you… do again? Are you a scientist too, or just Megatron’s secretary?” 

Despite the humorous tone Bee put in, he watched Blitzwing shoot him an evil eye. An attempt at one, Bee could see the dark bags even beneath the man’s glasses. “In the most degrading way of putting it, yes, I’m Megatron’s secretary. Very astute of you to notice.”

“So I guess that means someone found out I was gone…?” Bee was thrilled to think about that conversation he’d have on returning. Leave it to Nino and Sam to always make him feel like a child.

“Yes. I did.” Bee raised his eyebrows at that, but didn’t get a word in before Blitz looked up and reached out to grab Bee by his jacket. He gave Bee a tug, which under other circumstances wouldn’t have been as startling. With the speed suit’s wheels thrown in reverse, and Blitzwing pulling Bee in, however, it threw him for a loop. 

Bumblebee felt his balance tipping forward, and his legs kept going backwards. Instinctively, he flung his arms out to try and correct this, while his pedes kicked into several different gears, scissoring across the floor like a child trying to ice skate for the first time. Bee felt his hand knock into something, his feet leave from under him, and suddenly they were both flat on the ground.

Bumblebee groaned. “Oh god… What the hell was that for?” He shook his head, lifting off one of Blitzwing’s arms from lying on top of him. Bee had ended up landing right on Blitzwing somehow, no wonder the landing felt much more forgiving.

“Wall…” Blitzwing wheezed, facedown on the floor. Bee looked behind him, and sure enough, he must’ve been coming up on a wall while he’d been turned around. The scientist was just trying to stop him.

“Uh, whoops.” 

“Get off of me.” The scientist started pushing off from the ground. Bee helped him back up, noticing Blitzwing’s glasses were missing.

“Oh hey, your uh-?”

Blitzwing patted his face absently. Bumblebee scanned the ground until he spotted the spectacles, sporting a spiderweb of fracture lines and a bent arm. “Heh… my bad.” He offered them back, feeling a sinking pit form in his stomach.

The range of emotion that flashed across Blitz’ face could have told a story, mostly about how it looked like he was planning on throttling Bumblebee the next chance he got. “Thanks.” Blitzwing spat. He dusted himself off stiffly, and Bee scratched his head sheepishly.

“So… which way from here?”

\-- --

The digital clock glared 2 AM, and Bee knew it was going to be another sleepless night for him.

The worst part about being alone to his thoughts was how his mind liked to run on overdrive. Bee did mental laps on Blitzwing and his last encounters with the man. Imagining him as Bumblebee remembered --the sun on his thin face, his gap toothed grin-- left Bee scrambling for reasons why his chest grew tight. Bumblebee just wanted to figure out what made this dude tick, how he could go from belligerent one week to oozing charisma the next to inconsolable the third.

If he really wanted to, Bee could mull over everything ‘til the sun came up, but figured that would be a fruitless effort. There was only one person he could ask advice from at this hour of night.

“Hey Blurr.” He whispered across the room. Bee didn’t expect his crimemate to be awake at this hour until he heard the other bed shift and a muffled reply that proved otherwise. “Can I ask you something… kinda weird?”

He heard a long, tired sigh from the dark. “Why can’t this wait ‘til morning, Bee?”

“Because I’ve been dealing with it for, like, months now.” Bumblebee rolled over to prop up on his elbow. “Listen. I’ve been running into this… this guy a few times, and I wanted to know if you’ve ever…?” He trailed off expectantly.

“Is this why you asked me to run weekends for you a while back.”

“Wh- no! What would give you that idea.” Bee dropped the stage whisper. He was met with a stretched silence.

Just as Bumblebee assumed the other had fallen back to sleep, he heard, “You know you’re a terrible liar, right?” Blurr’s silhouetted arm reached over to flick the lamp on, and Bee squinted his eyes in time. 

“Alright, fine! Yes, he’s the reason.” Bumblebee gave a defeated huff and fell back against the pillows. “I caught him in public the other day. Like public public, out of uniform.”

“Uniform? Who’s he work for?” Blurr gave a yawn and sat fully up, legs crossed on the bed.

Bee hesitated. “Megatron-- and before you say anything, I know, it’s a stupid idea.” He half expected a scolding. To the contrary, his crimemate gave a quizzical look and shrugged.

“Mm, no, not stupid. Not any more stupid than you usually get.” Blurr added nonchalantly. “It’s crazy you also have a crush on someone that works for Megatron.”

“Hey, it’s not a- wait, wait.” Bee waved his hands to stop the presses. “Also?”

Blurr’s grew stiff and panicked. “I didn’t mean to-”

“ _Also_?” Bee leaned towards him from his bed. “Blurr, have you been _seeing_ someone?”

“It’s- It’s a long story, I shouldn’t even be talking about that it’s far too risky to explain.” He looked away, an arm coming up to scratch at his shoulder.

“No come on, come on! I promise to keep my lips sealed. Bluuuurr, please, I have to know.” Bumblebee gave him the most pleading look he could muster.

“Ugh, fine, but only because I know you’d end up hounding me for the next month.” He crossed his arms. It took a few moments before he caved in. “It’s Shockwave. Like _the_ Shockwave that works for Sumdac! I had been out driving one night and sort of… hit him with my car? And I started panicking because I’d never hit a man before, so I took him to Ratchet’s--”

“Wait, oh my god, you ran him over with your fucking car?”

“Yeah, but let me finish.”

“And you didn’t even take him to a regular hospital?” Bee was growing increasingly more hysterical. 

“I couldn’t take one of Detroit’s most influential people into a hospital, Bee. We’re criminals.” Blurr pulled an offended look, and Bee immediately felt silly for asking.

“Fair point, alright. Continue.”

One thing about Blurr was how much he hated being interrupted. An unfortunate match-up given Bumblebee’s entire personality revolved around announcing any thought to cross his brain. Nevertheless, he extrapolated the entire affair, as well as provide the inner commentary he’d gone through. All about how Sumdac’s finest scientist slash Decepticon-double-agent and him had a chance encounter like something out of a movie. Bumblebee internally admitted to being able to hold it over Blurr’s head later, should that situation ever present itself. By ten minutes in, however, Bee decided that talking to his roommate wasn’t going to help ease his mind about the whole Blitzwing affair at all, and tried to cut him off.

“Oh, god, is it nearly two thirty already?” He feigned a stretch, managing to pull Blurr’s attention off from his current spiel. “We should really get to bed.”

“Wow, I never expected you to be the one trying to tell me to sleep.” Blurr conceded, getting himself back under his covers. “Oh, but what about the guy you said you’ve kept seeing? Tell me about him now.”

Bee internally winced, feeling like it had been a mistake to bring the whole thing up. “It’s way too late now, maybe in the morning.”

“When has that ever stopped you before? You used to play videogames ‘til we had to work the next day.”

Bumblebee sighed. “Fine, you got me. His name is Blitzwing, I bumped into him the other day outside of the ballet studio downtown-”

“He does _ballet_?” Blurr looked at him bug-eyed. “Did you get to watch?”

“No, I wasn’t gonna watch! Just let me finish.” Bee huffed. “So he stopped me, and listen, the only other time I’d seen this guy was when he came in to see those blasters a while back. He asked me out for coffee, can you believe it?”

Blurr gave a low whistle as he propped his head up on an arm. “So maybe you aren’t the one with a crush, but he sure seems to be interested.”

“Okay, so you see it too!” Bee suddenly felt extremely thankful he wasn’t going crazy. “But what’s got me is that, like, that very next week when Nino and Sam were in to pay fees he was there.” 

“Okay?”

“He would hardly even look at me then. It was so bizarre.” Bee fell into silence, which was something that didn’t happen often. “Granted, okay, I sorta made us both trip over each other and fall on the ground.”

“Very smooth.” Blurr interjected.

“Oh, I’m sorry? Says the one who ran his boyfriend over?” Bee grabbed a pillow off his bed and tried to whap Blurr with it, who blocked it with an arm.

“Maybe he’d been insulted the last time you rebuffed his invitation to coffee, did he ask you out that time?”

Bee grimaced. The last thing he needed was to find out this guy was some easily pissed off manchild. “Ugh, pardon me for not wanting to share coffee with one of the guys who could get our house blown up.”

Blurr snorted and fell onto his back. “Maybe he’s into the danger that way.”

“No, dude!” Bee couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, but really… Promise me you won’t tell anyone else.”

“What is this, a middle school sleepover? I’m not gonna tell anyone.” Blurr reached over to shut the light back off, the room being swallowed in shadow again. “Also, don’t think too hard about it. They turned Sexton’s weapon prototype down, so we probably won’t be seeing any of the Decepticons unless we’re paying up on fees.”

“Right, right.” Bee nodded to himself and settled in, but caught himself feeling almost… disheartened to hear Blurr say that. Maybe it was gonna be a longer night than he thought.

\-- --

“Can you believe this, Boss?” The wood floor creaked under Bee’s steps as he paced around, still in his night clothes. “You think you know someone, you kiss ass for years, and what do they do?”

“Zip it, Buggaboo, they’re about to talk.” Samantha walked in from the kitchen with a cup of coffee. It was barely the crack of dawn, when the clocktower was beginning to wake up, that a surprising broadcast started from the TV. 

The news cut to footage from a smoking crime scene that read as ‘Live’. The news reporter cut in over the sound of sirens. “It was sometime through the middle of the night that several calls began going out from the Detroit Penitentiary. Reports say that a firearm had been loosed on the side of the building, eventually blowing an electrical box which caused a corner of the building to collapse.”

The news turned to an onlooker from the attack, the building still visibly smoking in the background. “It was like these bursts of blue lightning, they lit the whole street up. Then we saw the automated police force just start wigging out, like none of them could be controlled.” 

Sam sat down on the couch and grabbed onto Nino’s arm. “Those two bit screwball bastards…” She muttered in disbelief.

Bee slammed a hand on the back of the couch, shaking a finger at the screen. “That should’ve been us! How are you two so calm about this?” He glanced down and watched Sexton give a shrug in disbelief.

“What are we supposed to do? Four petty criminals against the crime lord Megatron?”

“For what it’s worth,” Blurr walked in, a toothbrush still hanging from his mouth, “he got the super charge you had in your notes working to a T. They did exactly what you’d said about knocking a row of mechanical cops down flat.” He stopped by a wall mirror to preen his hair, the gel still drying it back in his wild, windswept look.

Bee shot his crimemate a stiff glare. “Not helping.”

“I think Bee’s got the right idea.” Samantha leaned forward and took a sip of her drink. Priorities first. “Sure, we’re four small, no-good hooligans. Petty thieves. Who’s to say that’s ever stopped us before?”

Sexton ran his hands through his wily orange hair with a long sigh. “I mean, sure, we throw caution to the wind pretty much every time we stage a heist, but again,” he gestured stiff with his arms towards the screen, “Megatron? We couldn’t even think about attacking him without a death wish.”

“Well, we know their compound almost as well as they do.” Sam tried, a touch of desperation in her voice. 

Nino gave a defeated look and sunk into the couch a bit further. “Let’s just forget it. I wouldn’t want to put any of you at risk like that.” The news continued on in the background, but a palpable and uncomfortable air fell about the room. 

Bumblebee bit at his cheek, suppressing the urge to say something, _anything_ , to change the conversation then. He caught Blurr’s reflection giving the same grimace before he watched his roommate’s eyes light up.

“What if we had an in.”

Sam glanced over to him. “What, dear?”

“An in,” Blurr rushed to the back of the couch, taking a moment to pull the toothbrush from his mouth, “or not an ‘in’, he wouldn’t be in on it, but a uh, uh- a distraction.”

Nino turned his head up to Blurr, suddenly looking a bit more interested. “You mean like luring one away so we could get the drop on them?”

“Exactly!” Blurr snapped his fingers.

Sam’s face had the look of the gears starting to turn in her head. “Hm… Distracting one of Megatron’s cronies so the rest of us can sneak in? I think that’s a great start, but who’s the unfortunate gent?”

Blurr pointedly shot Bee a look. “Oh, I’m not sure about _‘unfortunate’_.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang throws their plan into motion, and their caution to the wind. The gang's success rests on Bumblebee's shoulders as he faces his greatest challenge yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, life and work kinda got in the way!   
> Thank you for those who showed your love so far, and thanks again to all my friends who beta'd it.  
> Comments/critique is always appreciated!

A gentle rain had started falling that evening. Bumblebee checked his watch for the fifth time, muttering under his breath for the other to just hurry up so he could get this over with. He had gone through the trouble of digging out the one fancy outfit he owned from his room’s floor, which was a years-old grey blazer and light yellow undershirt. Despite all their searching, the team couldn’t find a matching pair of slacks, so Bee had on a pair of yellow khakis and brown loafers with high socks. He thought he looked like a boy attending Sunday school. Frankly, he felt utterly ridiculous. 

Next to him on the pavement sat a large, but otherwise normal looking briefcase. Inside was his yellow and black speedsuit. The plan was for Bumblebee to keep Blitzwing away and distracted long enough for the group to be able to slip into the compound and locate the Decepticon’s rip-off blasters. Without Megatron’s secretary to keep an eye around the facility, word hopefully wouldn’t be able to get back to him as quickly. The speedsuit was there in case of any sort of compromise.

He checked his hair in the reflection of the restaurant window, licking his fingers to try and pet down one of his cowlicks. Bee caught the glare of headlights pulling up in front of the establishment and turned around to meet them. Sure enough, a dark, lithe man stepped out from the backseat. 

Blitzwing was dressed a bit more casual in a maroon sweater vest and brown collared shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. He gave a warm smile to Bumblebee, and only then did Bee realize his glasses were good as new.

“Oh hey, your glasses!” Bee immediately regretted mentioning them. He was the one that broke them in the first place, after all.

Blitzwing seemed taken aback for a moment before he smiled awkwardly. “Yes, they were replaced. I must apologize for keeping you. I just got off of work, and the roads were pretty backed up.” He reached past Bee to grab the door, motioning for him to go first.

When Bumblebee initially contacted Blitzwing about taking him up on the offer for dinner (thanks to Blurr needling his double agent boyfriend for the contact, it seemed), he had been a little hesitant about letting the scientist pick the restaurant. The guy probably made six figures easy, anything he would’ve named was probably out of budget, but Blitzwing insisted he pay for the two of them.

The establishment had a warm low lighting, with tall roman style columns and plenty of plants. It was mildly busy, Bee couldn’t help but note the amount of couples and felt his heart speed in his chest. Keep it cool, he mentally steadied himself. As the two of them had been seated and able to order drinks, of which Bumblebee had to restrain himself from getting a soda, they were able to talk.

“I’m surprised you wanted to have such a formal occasion as our first way of getting to know each other,” Blitzwing gave Bee a gentle smile, “I didn’t expect you to be so… forward?”

“Oh yeah, well you know what they say,” Bee fiddled with the straw of his drink, “don’t judge a book by its cover and all.” 

Blitzwing chuckled. “Trust me, I’m well aware. If it’s not too brazen of me to ask, how long have you been in your, ah, _business_?” He took a thoughtful sip of his wine.

“Oh, sure- it’s kind of a funny story actually. See, before I was a part of any of the underground work, you could say, I was doing my own thing. I decided I wanted to take on something a little more… _bold_.” Bee was worried for a moment that all the euphemisms were getting lost, but Blitzwing seemed practically enthralled.

“Mhm?”

“So I planned to take on my job at the local jewelry store. This whole setup, it was gonna be airtight, like in and out before anyone noticed. I make it in the door, and before I can even start my whole ‘Hands up’ bit, I see Sam and Nino robbing the place first.” 

“What? You don’t say.” Blitzwing’s smile scrunched his nose as he laughed, before he took a moment to push his glasses up. “So what then? How did you end up becoming their partners?”

“Well…”

Food was ordered and brought out soon thereafter. Despite asking him after the story was over, Blitzwing didn’t want to give out the details to how he’d come to work for Megatron. Bee could respect that. He checked his wristwatch as discreetly frequent as he could get away with, the longer he could drag this on for the better. Regardless, the meal was divine. Bee ordered some french-sounding dish that had salmon, and it practically melted in his mouth. He nearly forgot that he was supposed to be stalling for time while the team started their heist. If only all of their heist plans could go like this.

Suddenly, a ringtone started buzzing between them. Blitzwing looked startled, and began to apologize before he went to fish a phone from his pocket. Bumblebee had a moment of mental panic, realizing it was most likely Meltdown Industries calling about a break-in. In a rush of beautiful synaptic harmony, he reached across the table and knocked Blitzwing’s wine glass right onto his lap. 

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Bee exclaimed. “I was trying to reach for the- for the steak sauce.” He grabbed both of their napkins and rushed around the table. Bee bent down and started to dab at the deep red stain soaking into Blitzwing’s pricey name brand vest and slacks. 

A waiter started to rush over, and Blitzwing shooed Bumblebee away with his hands. “No, no, it’s fine. It happens.” He took the napkin from Bee and proceeded to try and sop up the wine. As he had him distracted, Bee reached his hand over and tugged the phone out of Blitz’ pocket.

“So you do uh, ballet, huh?” Bee immediately tried to interject as he crawled back into his seat. He propped his head on a hand to look interested and everything. “How long has that been for?”

Blitzwing blinked before pushing his glasses up, a wistful look suddenly in his eyes. “Oh, well, I’ve been doing dance since I was much younger. My parents were well cultured, and believed it was important I find something artistic to express myself.”

Bee tried to keep up as the man across the table started talking about these big recitals, and grueling training, and Bumblebee could only say “Uhuh” and “Oh wow” or “Cool” so many times before it started to sound dishonest. His mind started drifting to the rest of his team, wondering what they could possibly be up to, and furthermore how much longer he’d be able to drag this on for.

A buzz suddenly started in Bee’s pocket as the phone’s ringtone began to chime. Bee immediately tried coughing loudly as he fiddled with the phone in one hand and get. It. To. Shut. Up! Blitzwing gave him a strange look.

“There’s a,” Bee coughed and hacked, “a bone. In my throat.” He pounded his fist on the table. Several tables were turning their heads at the ruckus he was making.

“Are you- are you okay? Drink some water.” Blitzwing pushed Bee’s glass to him, just in time for the ringer to have finally stopped.

Bee graciously took the water, and made a show to gulp most of it down. He settled back into his chair. “Phew, thanks. Guess I got a little too ambitious on the sor- _sorell troys gross_ , huh?”

“It’s _troisgros_.” Blitzwing gazed at Bee over the rim of his glasses.

“Right… Anyways, you were saying something about um… The Nutcracker, right?”

Blitzwing opened his mouth briefly, but raised his napkin to wipe it clean and fold it neatly onto his plate. “Actually, I believe I’ll call for our-”

“Wait!” Bee threw his arm out. “Before you do.”

Blitzwing stared intently at him. His face looked like a cross between rapt interest, and terrified at any other shenanigans Bee could possibly occur this time.

“I’m going to run to the bathroom.” Bee grabbed his case off the floor and made a dash around the tables. He could faintly hear Blitzwing sigh behind him, and in all honesty Bee felt pretty bad he had to ruin the guy’s night this way.

Bee slipped out a door leading to the patio, thankfully vacant as the storm was beating down. As he hopped the decorative fence and hedges and rounded the corner of the building, he took a few moments to change out of his lousy attire into the yellow and black speed suit. He pressed a button inside a control panel on his wrist, the suit made a hydraulic hiss, and sucked in tight to his body. 

“Sorry, Blitz, but this show’s gotta hit the road.” He tapped his pedes against the asphalt, testing the wheels before he zoomed off down the street in a flash of yellow.

Storefronts and intersections started whizzing past, the rain whipped at his face, and Bee idly wished he’d wore some protective eye goggles or something as he blinked away the water. A pair of headlights came speeding towards him, and Bee barely managed to volley the hood of a car in time to hear someone lay on the horn.

Bee fished out Blitzwing’s phone and dialed for the first person he could think of. “Nanosec, I’m en route. We got maybe five minutes before Blitzbrain gets the right idea and notices I’m gone.” Bee took a brief pause. “Three if my charisma wasn’t as smooth as it sounded.”

“Loud and clear. We’ve entered the building, where did you say those babies were?”

“Where you guys dealt with Megatron in the business halls, out the corridor. Up the stairs to a bunch of, whoa-!” 

A large flatbed truck rounded a street corner and Bee had almost no time to react. Bee slammed on his brakes. The rain slicked asphalt sent his pede wheels hydroplaning, and his shoulder hit the side of the truck. Bumblebee threw his arms out to keep steady, his legs kicking aimlessly, and the blaring of a horn rang in his ears.

As he brought his hands back in, Bumblebee noted the distinct lack of a phone still in his grasp. “Agh, fuck!” There wasn’t any time to turn around and go searching for it now, so he doubled his pace towards Meltdown Headquarters.

As he raced down the city streets he spotted the telltale red and blue flashing lights of a police cruiser. They were no doubt heading to the same place, which meant Bee would have to choose a different route. He threaded through several backstreets and alleys, kicking up old papers and scaring a few alley cats. Once he pulled through, he wiped the rain and sweat off his face and gazed up. Overhead loomed the tall industrial building from its backside. Bee was heading in towards the employee’s parking garage. The bonus about the speed suit was that sneaking past the check in gate was easy breezy when he could walk right around it.

Bumblebee zipped down the corridor towards the entrance doors, fear knotting his gut as the realization he’d be walking in completely unarmed dawned on him. If he didn’t bump into Slo-Mo or Blurr or Nanosec soon, he might end up in fast trouble. Bee changed gears in his speedsuit to take himself out of driving mode and took a deep breath. As soon as Bee stepped through the glass doors he heard pandemonium. 

To his front was a service help desk and one of those big friendly floor plans with the dot that said “You Are Here”. The chair was overturned, and there were papers carpeting the floor. Bee suddenly heard a gun go off in the distance, rapid fire, _ratta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta_. He covered his arms over his head and got his feet to move for him, zooming past the desk down the first hall he could remember.

Bee curved around the hall, breezing past workers as they scrambled for the exit. His focus wasn’t on controlling them right now. Somewhere along the line, Bee turned a corner and slammed face first into a wall of muscle. He barely had time to glance up before the force of the thug’s fist knocked him straight across the floor, skidding on the linoleum. 

“Well, looks like the whole family decided to show up.” Bee recognized the eyepatch and tight buzz cut on the hulking beast before him. The thug shouldered a firearm, which looked downright puny in his hands. “Megatron isn’t taking visitors at this hour, which means you are most unwelcome.”

“I- uh, y’see-” Bumblebee barely got in the time for a witty response before the thug leveled his gun at him.

“Surrender quietly, and I won’t shoot you into swiss cheese.” 

He’d only started moving forward before another voice called out from behind. “Hey, buddy! Haven’t you heard about picking on people your own size?” Megatron’s thug turned around right as an arm socked his head to the side, Slo-Mo hopping clear over his head in full clocked regalia. 

She landed between Bee and the brute. Megatron’s thug didn’t take long to recover, merely giving a battle cry and raising his weapon at the two sitting ducks in front of him. Quick as lightning, Slo-Mo pulled out a large pocket watch from her belt. As she swung it around and trained it at the thug, a blast of blue energy fired out. His war cry gradually, comically, began to distort and slow down. His limbs froze up, even the bullets started to hover mid air as soon as they left the barrel.

Slo-Mo helped Bee up, giving him a firm pat on the back. “Glad to see I got here just in _time_ , eh?” She pulled a sly smile.

“Oh come on, that was too obvious.” Bee huffed. Leave it to Sam to try and pun things up after a near death experience.

“Alright, how about,” she pointed a finger gun to the brute, “you need to slow down.” Slo-Mo took advantage of the opportunity to snatch the gun straight out of the man’s hands. 

“You’ve used that at least once every mission! Just come on.” He urged the two on down the hall. Sure, Sam’s slow ray wasn’t going to hold him forever, but the more time they’d get to put some distance between each other the better.

They passed by more doors and frightened workers. Shouting voices rang around the hallway occasionally, possibly from the police trying to secure the building. Bee cursed at their timing, they couldn’t afford to get blocked off when they were so close now.

He turned back to Slo-Mo as they stopped in front of some elevators. “Where are the other two? They weren’t caught were they?”

Slo-Mo took a moment to catch her breath. “Not sure. Nanosec was going to secure the test rooms. Clear the area. Blurr was supposed to keep watch of the halls outside, or run off any nosy perps.” She glanced around the corner of the wall. “Just another floor down and we’ll be able to find out.”

They doubled their pace. Bee was aching to kick his wheels into gear, but thought better about leaving Slo-Mo in the dust. They took a ramp down to the next floor, and Bee began to recognize where they were again. At the end of the hall stood a pair of dark, wooden doors where the business halls were behind. Slo-Mo treaded carefully, the last thing they needed was to barge right into the police on the other side. She threw her back against the wall and steadied the gun against her shoulder, giving Bee the go signal.

Bumblebee struggled to swallow. He had never been able to get over this sort of rush, anxiety flooding with each pounding heartbeat as he lifted up a leg and drove it home against the handles. The doors split open, and Slo-Mo twisted around with the gun at the ready. The carpeted hall was dark and empty, which seemed as good as it was equally terrifying.

“No Blurr.” Bee vacantly remarked. Slo-Mo moved up past him, the scope of the gun sticking into each of the rooms she passed.

“Don’t start talking like that, Buggaboo. We’ve still got a whole other quadrant beyond those doors they could be in. You said it was past here right?” She looked back at Bee pointedly, her eyes piercing behind the thin veil of her hat told Bee she was probably just as scared as he was right now.

“Yep. Or at least,” he continued in a mumble, “that’s where I think they’re keeping them.”

Slo-Mo gave him a dirty, wide-eyed look. “Whaddya mean you _think so_? Are you telling me you’re only going off of a hunch right now?”

“I have good reason to!” Bee threw his hands up. He really shouldn’t have opened his mouth around the one carrying a semi automatic. “Last time we were here I had- well, okay, so you guys were taking a long time-”

“Forget it, I’ll scold you later. We’re cutting it close, just get in there.” 

Bee bit down an anxious gulp, throwing the next set of doors open leading out to the laboratory rooms. It was in just as much disarray as the rest of the complex, overturned carts and spilled papers littered the floor. The first people Blurr spotted was the familiar blazing blue and orange suits of his crimemates, buzzing back and forth across different rooms.

Blurr stopped at the top of the stairs as he caught sight of Bee and Slo-Mo. “Thank god, you made it.” He disappeared in a streak of blue, reappearing right beside them. “Where did you say they were?” Blurr held his arms up, showing off a pair of thick arm braces with a half-cone that poked out from the top of the hand. The prototype blasters Sexton had made. As they powered up, small arcs of electricity threaded across the metal plating.

“Easy there, speedster,” Slo-Mo threw a hand out to lower Blurr’s arms. “Fill us in. What’s the situation here, the stitch, what’s Nanosec running around for?” She turned around to find wherever her partner had zoomed off to.

Blurr took a big sigh, as if taking the time to give a status report were a boring chore for him. He proceeded to info dump what he and Nanosec had been up to since the two were gone, speaking a mile a minute as he was known to do. They’d rushed into the labs no problem, scared away any petty security officers, but explained that the blasters they’d come here for haven’t turned up where Bumblebee said they were.

Slo Mo shot Bumblebee a sharp side eye, but didn’t manage to get a word in before a ground-shaking roar rumbled through the area. An orange blur zoomed down the stairs before Nanosec skidded to a halt just behind the group, the tailpipes on his suit’s backpack working overdrive. “Situation’s been compromised, we gotta-”

“Nino Sexton,” Slo-Mo put her hands on her hips, “what did you just do?”

A pair of glass doors flew across the catwalk and shattered themselves on the far wall. A shower of crystal glass spilled on the stairs and floor below. Nanosec worried on his lower lip. “Wrong door.”

Bee zoomed past the group and gazed up at the upper level where the doors had been blown off. Blaring red lights and sirens started going off, and Bumblebee caught the faint glimpse of a thick, matted mane prowling around the upper floor. “You let out Brandon the mutant?!” He yelled back to the party.

Nanosec gave him a strange look. “How do you know his name is Brandon?”

Brandon screeched again and whipped his tentacle arm around one of the catwalks above, swinging up onto it to glare down upon his prey. Before Bumblebee could even react, a blue streak zipped a wave across the glass and debris. “No time,” Blurr shouted, “Slo-Mo, follow me!”

“Guess I’m off. You two keep searching while we distract this monster.” Slo-Mo leapt up after Blurr, her clock weapon at the ready.

It was really easier said than done. Bumblebee grabbed his boss, heading in the opposite direction of the stairs. If they could make it through a different corridor, maybe they could avoid having to deal with the mutant. Brandon seemed to catch onto this, as Bee and Nanosec came out of another hallway on an upper floor. It propelled itself across the catwalks with a super human strength and speed, evading Slo-Mo’s slow ray or Blurr’s firepower. 

Whenever Brandon started getting too close to the two, Nanosec would fire off a few bullets into the mutant’s back. This was a great strategy at pissing the thing off. It was lured off long enough for Bee to lead Nanosec to the dark-windowed room he’d seen before. “This is where they must be.”

“Well, now we have another problem.” Nanosec’s hand gripped on the handle of the door, next to it a passcode bar displayed brightly on a small screen. Tugging it gave no entrance.

A shadow crept up the wall, and as Bee whipped around he caught sight of the mutant just beginning to make its leap to crush them against the door. Its claws and teeth outstretched and primed just for the two of them.

“Watch out!” Slo-Mo screamed. She fired off a beam from her pocket watch, and the creature had no time to correct its course before being enveloped in blue light. It hung there motionless in mid air, with its mouth hanging open in a snarl, tongue flapping. Slo-Mo heaved a sigh of relief from up on the catwalk.

Blurr zipped their way, red-faced and panting. This sadly didn’t appear to help his motor mouth. “What’s the problem- is this the room? Did the door get stuck? We’ve got time before the big guy can move, but let’s hurry this up.”

As luck would have it, that wasn’t going to happen for them.

The sound of doors being fired open came from the ground floor, the entire group practically jumping in shock. 

“Alright, puny underlings,” a voice bellowed. Bee whipped his head back around to see a towering figure burst in through the outside doors, “not many are able to get the drop on Lugnut, but this is where your luck runs out.” He thrust a pair of uzis triumphantly into the air. Looks like the brute had gone to restock on his stolen weaponry.

To add further insult to injury, another figure popped out from behind Lugnut. Bee felt his stomach drop as Blitzwing, uncanny in his timing as ever, scowled about the room, no doubt looking for Bumblebee amongst the mayhem.

“Fuck, fuck, you’ve gotta be _kidding me_.” Bumblebee shrunk back.

Blurr wiped his brow off. “Okay, stand back, we’re outta time!” His arms pointed straight at the door, and the prototypes charged to life.

Nanosec threw an arm forward to stop him. “Wait, Blurr, you’re going to burn them out!”

Before the younger could respond, the blasters surged with light. It was a lot more powerful than Bee had ever seen before, and it left a cloud of smoke in the air where Blurr stood a second ago. Blurr’s body had shot back against the steel wall, where he’d promptly knocked himself out cold, and the shock of the blast immediately alerted the two Decepticons on the ground to their location.

“Fuck,” was all Bee could think to mutter. He threw himself down onto Blurr’s body, and heard Nanosec immediately rush off. Bee grabbed a hold of Blurr’s arms and started to wrench the busted blasters off. The overheated metal singed his fingertips, but he managed to pry both away.

Bullets ricocheted off the wall in front of him and Bee ducked his head with a start. Fuck, fuck, fuck, this couldn’t be happening.

As Bee peered over the stair banister, he saw Lugnut doing a spray-and-pray style of firing. Nanosec dodged and weaved around him, and Slo-Mo stood up above on one of the catwalks, using her pocket watch to try and hit Lugnut with another slow beam.

Bee’s heart hammered under his chest as he got into position behind the railing. He took a few deep breaths to steel himself and then leapt up, booking it across the floor of the room. His eyes were locked straight on the lanky scientist. At the last moment, Bee pushed off the ground with the grace of a frog, thrown bodily forward with enough force to send them both tumbling.

Bumblebee felt the wind knock out of him, and the two of them rolled across the floor like a rock skipping on water. Eventually they settled in a tangle of limbs and minor concussions on the cold floor. Bee whipped back up, seeing the world spin before he shook his head and aimed his blasters down at Blitzwing.

“Alright, that’s enough!” He broke his gaze and realized they had rolled straight into one of the laboratory rooms. A group of scientists who hadn’t been able to break out of the building were crammed into one corner. Bumblebee cursed under his breath. “Okay, look, let’s make this nice and simple. You help us out, you all get out alive.”

“Simple? Oh no, bug. You’re going to explain yourself, after everything I’d done for you this evening. Were you really just keeping me so you could stage this… fantastical rebellion?”

“How did you know I wasn’t just running back home?”

“Well,” Blitzwing gave him a filthy look, “after having to shoulder the bill and humiliation of being stood up, I found out that my phone had been lifted. So I went and got my backup phone from my driver.”

Bumblebee gave him an incredulous look. “You have… a backup phone?”

“Like any self-respecting criminal scientist, yes.” He seemed almost proud to say it. “A scientist is never without an extra phone for these kinds of situations.”

Bumblebee wanted to argue. That sounded downright stupid, and really nerdy, but the other people in the room started murmuring or shifting around. Getting too antsy. “Blitzwing… you’re upsetting my hostages.” Bee spat.

“Oh, what? You thought we wouldn’t be able to tell when a child is trying to take control?” 

Blitzwing kept talking. “Though I must commend you for your acting tonight,” his face almost fell a little as he admitted it, “you had me thinking you were actually enjoying my company.”

“N-no, that was…” Why was he feeling so defensive all of a sudden? He glanced down to the damp stain on Blitzwing’s sweater vest, thinking about the nights he’d spent trying to unravel the man. Their encounters, how he’d managed to whiff all of them somehow.

“Oh, drop it. The only reason you’ve tried getting close was so you could undermine our work.” His expression was sour, and something in his words made Bee finally lose it.

“You idiot!” Some people in the crowd flinched as his voice raised. “Do you have to make me say it-- I’m in love with you!”

Blitzwing’s eyebrows climbed to his scalp. Shouting and yowling filtered in from outside, the only thing anyone could hear before Blitzwing slowly began. “I’m glad you finally found the courage to tell me,” he continued in a softer tone, “but right now? When I’m your hostage?”

Bee’s thoughts began to catch up with him as he cast his gaze across the scientists again. He’d already had enough of a stressful night, and there were cops busting into the building as they stood here. _Fuck it_. “Up.”

“Excuse me?”

He wasted no time hoisting the lanky man up by the shoulder of his designer sweater vest. “We’re going on a walk.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bumblebee forces Blitzwing into helping him end this fight once and for all, but will the rag tag group be enough of a match against Lugnut and a super-mutant?

Blitzwing squirmed as Bumblebee edged him out the door by the end of his blaster.

“Wait,” he started, “you’re going to get us killed.” 

Bumblebee only snorted. “Welcome to nearly every day of my life.” He glanced around the space once they’d safely stepped out. The floor was sprinkled in bullet casings, clumps of fur, and to make Bee’s stomach flip with anxiety, blood. It wasn’t hard to follow the sound of commotion, as gunshots rang out overhead and a figure occasionally zipped across the catwalks.

“Are you planning on cleaning this mess up yourself, or didn’t you want us to hurry?” Blitzwing had his arms crossed tight to himself, like the state of the hall was getting under his skin.

Bee gave him a half hearted glare and pressed on. “Yeah, yeah. C’mon, the sooner this is over with.”

Blurr wasn’t anywhere in sight, which meant either Nino or Sam had moved him somewhere safe, or the crazy guy sprung back up onto his feet to start battling with nothing on him. From Bee’s best judgement, Branden was trying to stay in areas where he had the best mobility. The labs were pretty much all corridors connected in branches from the one large, open space in the middle. The catwalks would make for a great jungle gym when you’re seven feet of hulking animal adrenaline.

That didn’t even account for Lugnut, who could probably take on the mutant bare-handed. The only thought that eased Bee a little bit was that one would probably consider the other the biggest threat and take him out first. 

He had to stop working himself up like this. Bumblebee grabbed Blitzwing by the sleeve and pulled him up the stairs. Overhead he heard a roar, and a shadow slipped across the ground, followed by the sound of gunshots. He scowled and pressed on.

The two reached the corridor to the room with the dark-paned glass. The keypad sat there mockingly. Bee shoved his captive forward with an impatient look. “Alright, code please.”

Blitzwing stepped like he was approaching a live bomb. His hands lifted, they stalled, he started to fidget and make aborted gestures. It only made Bee’s nerves go haywire.

“Sometime today, maybe?”

“You’re putting me a bit on the spot here.” Blitzwing’s shoulders tensed, and he turned around to scold at Bee before he glanced overhead. Blitzwing reached his arm out and he groped blind for Bee’s jacket. Bee only had a moment to turn around before he heard the crash of glass. Something whizzed across the span of the floor and plowed into him. 

Bee sat on the ground motionless for several moments as his lungs burned trying to recall how to take in air. He felt someone’s hands grab the back of his neck and Bee cracked open his eyes. On top of him was a figure about as orange as a Halloween decoration, Nino, apparently in the same state he was. 

Above him, Bee could hear Blitzwing panicking. His attention was held elsewhere as Bee struggled to sit up. Where Nino had just been thrown from, through the shattered glass siding of the stairwell, was Lugnut and the mutant. 

“Don’t worry about them right now,” Nino urged Bee, rolling off of him and taking a moment to cough fiercely into the ground, “we’ve got it under control.”

Blitzwing looked like he was about ready to faint. “Control? You call that traipsing you just did control?” 

“Sexton,” Bee sounded like he’d just eaten a wad of sandpaper, which wasn’t a good look for him, “where’s Sam?” 

His boss rolled his eyes up and gestured vaguely about the ceiling. “Watching. Those two they’ll- they’ll tire each other out.” He didn’t seem to have a lot of energy left in himself.

Bumblebee grabbed onto Blitzwing and used him to urge himself up. Ideas were spinning around in his head. “We need a new plan.”

“What do you mean?” Blitzwing stared at him like he was on his last thread. “There is no plan, you’ve got no fight against them.” 

Nino sat himself up. “Not if we can take out at least one of them, then we’d be able to outnumber the other.” Bee’s boss gave Blitzwing a sidelong look. “I don’t think you’re going to like it, though.”

\-- --

If Blitzwing’s day hadn’t been worse already, Bumblebee figured a little more pushing around wasn’t going to change much. He had the scientist in a lock with his arm and a blaster pointed into his neck. 

“Ow, ow- okay, easy. You still need me, remember?” Blitzwing was struggling something fierce from the amount of bodily contortion he was being put through. 

“Oh, you’ll be fine. This is what all that dancing you do pays off for.” Bee purred before he called out as loud as he could. “Hey nuts-for-brains!”

The brute whipped his head around for a moment, his one eye blazed with bloodlust. A nasty wound split down the left side of his face. When Lugnut’s eye landed on his coworker Blitzwing, stuck in a hold with Bumblebee, his expression twisted to a sneer more of rage and concern.

Lugnut looked back to the mutant trying to steal his attention, and landed one vicious punch on the creature’s head before kicking it away. Bumblebee watched it flip backwards down the hall a good few paces, and tried desperately to not think about what would happen if Lugnut got his hands on him instead.

“Pesky little bees, trying to interfere in Megatron’s ingenious plans.” He stalked towards the two, he raised a hand and clenched it in front of his darkened face. “I will crush you like the bugs you are.”

Bumblebee tried to pull a smirk, but it felt awkward on his face, no thanks to all the pressure on him right now. He took a quick glance behind Lugnut at the mutant, currently struggling to gain its bearings from the cold tiled floor.

“Watch it, nuthead.” With a clench of his fist, the blaster whirred up with charge. “You really like to wank on Megatron, huh? Think he’d appreciate if he found out you let his little lapdog get wasted here?”

“Hit the deck!” The only warning shouted out from above before Bumblebee grabbed Blitzwing and rolled them both to the floor. Another blast of blue light erupted just past them. As the air stopped sizzling, a chuckle reverberated from the walls.

Bee glanced up above them. Sam was frantically pounding the button on her timepiece while it sat dark in her hands. He heard the sound of heavy footsteps.

“I already fell for that trick once, Slo-Mo.” Lugnut cooly advanced towards them.

Bumblebee tried to scoot himself and Blitzwing away from the action, but he heard the sound of a gun cocking and bullet casings ping the floor. “I’ll be taking my colleague from your filthy clutches.”

Blitzwing locked eyes with Bumblebee, but he couldn’t read the expression before Blitzwing stood up. Blitzwing sighed in relief and scurried up to Lugnut, his voice lost under Bee’s racing mind.

Lugnut pointed the barrel of his gun at Sam. “And hand over that infernal device.”

She looked positively lost for a moment. As Blitzwing walked up to her Bumblebee caught her eyes for the briefest second. He grabbed hold of the timepiece and tugged it out of her grasp with as much joy as pulling a weed. The clock face glowed a dull blue against Blitzwing’s dark skin as he passed back to Lugnut.

Lugnut grinned like he ate the canary. “What a commotion you all caused us, and for what? Have you not taken enough from Megatron? Have you forgotten all that he gives you for support?” His face grew more twisted, veins popping on his massive neck.

There was movement from down the hall that caught Bumblebee’s attention. A dark figure gained its bearings and was picking its next prey. Bumblebee gulped and tried to wave a hand at Blitzwing to get. Out of. The way. He was only getting a strained look back.

“Are you not listening?” Lugnut grew furious. “Ungrateful worms! Megatron will take delight when I recount how easily you were crushed!”

With little warning, the mutant crashed into Lugnut again. Everyone backed up as the brawl resumed, Blitzwing curled against the wall with Sam’s timepiece tight to his chest.

“The crown!” Sam called. “Push the crown!” Blitzwing started to fumble with the watch like it was an elaborate puzzle. He twisted it around in his hands to no avail.

“Ugh- It’s the knobby thing!” Sam clarified defeatedly. 

There was another brilliant flash of light. All went silent as Bumblebee groaned and tried to blink away the blind dots. Lugnut stood still as a statue before them, and being crushed in his iron grip was Branden, apparently unaffected by the beam. Branden clawed bright red lines across Lugnut’s thick arm, the blood welled at a snail’s pace. The mutant struggled and thrashed like a cat about to be dropped in for a bath. That left them with some time, at least.

“Now what? Can we move him?” 

“My watch affects time, not space. He’s not going anywhere.”

Nino raced out from one of the laboratories, brandishing a long plate of metal. “I got it.” He reeled back and swung with the force of a baseball player for Lugnut’s thick head. The plate rang like a gong, and Lugnut’s face contorted in slow motion, cheeks and mouth registering the blow in real time.

Sam crossed her arms and gave Nino an unimpressed look. “Brilliant, stunning. Hit a guy with a hard object. That was supposed to accomplish what, exactly?”

“Knock him out, obviously.” When Sam and Bee gave him a quizzical look, Nino turned red. “What? I didn’t think the plan would really get this far. Quick fix: knock him out.”

Branden slunk lower, lower in Lugnut’s blood-slicked grip, his insect legs scrabbled on the sleek tile. In moments his head slipped through and he made a mad dash for the exit of the corridor. The rest of them were in go-time, following right behind. 

Branden cleared the gap to the other side of the lab in one fell leap. Bumblebee kicked on his speedsuit and zipped across the catwalk with Nanosec. As the mutant landed he did a double take between them, and curled his body in a strong arch when he realized he’d been cornered. The mutant hissed spittle and backed up against the wall.

From behind Bee there was a sharp zapping sound. Blurr bolted in wielding something akin to a cow prod, the head of the spear running live with a bright charge. “Stand back, this’ll scare him in.”

“Blurr, where the hell did you come from?” Bee was agape.

Sam joined his side and gave him a thorough once over. “You took a nasty blow to the head, you sure you’re fit to be standing right now?”

“Oh no, I’ve got a serious concussion and might possibly need some medical aid after this, but I also did some snooping while you all were busy before Blitzwing found me and stumbled across-”

“Okay, we get it, you found a fun pokey stick.” Bee huffed. This wasn’t the time to have idle banter. “Hold him off for me while I get in this door.” He rushed over to the room’s pad again, finding Blitzwing leaning against it like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Blitzwing’s mouth pulled at one corner. “Glad I could help?”

Bee shook a hand through the air. “Talk later. Code now.”

Blitzwing conceded and typed in the code without fuss this time. The LCD changed to green, and the door clicked happily. Blitzwing pulled on its handle, and a blast of cold air rushed past them. He motioned for Bumblebee to enter. 

As Bumblebee entered the room, he was immediately taken aback by how much noise simply disappeared from outside. There were shelves and totes filled with scrap metal and switchboards, a mad scientist’s dream come true. On a chrome workbench, almost lovingly placed for display, were the blasters. They were sleek and chiseled, as opposed to his boss’s… experimental handiwork. He picked one up with a gentle hand, fitting it over his wrist. To his surprise, the contraption began to collapse before his eyes. It turned into a compact white and orange bracelet, with a circular node sitting below his palm. 

“Cool,” was all he could think to utter. He lifted the other and made his way out.

Outside he found the mutant trying to test Blurr with the prodder. Its mane bristled out, as it swiped at the weapon. Blurr saw that Bee had stepped out, and started jousting at the creature to drive it into the room. Branden bared his teeth some more, but reluctantly gave in as he backed further into the doorway. As soon as the mutant was inside, Blitzwing typed in another command, and the room was promptly sealed up.

The entire group breathed a sigh of relief.

\-- --

Wrap up was little more than uneventful, besides slipping past the police watch outside the building. Blitzwing, to Bee’s surprise, offered to lead the group out another exit he claimed would be out of sight and trouble. On their way out, Bee couldn’t help but notice how the man would try to catch his gaze as often as possible. 

The door was a small, metal thing that practically blended into the industrial wall. It creaked like it hadn’t been used in ages besides the occasional worker looking to sneak a smoke break.

“Don’t get into any trouble yourself.” Bumblebee muttered on his way out.

“That’s all?”

Bee stopped and considered for a moment. “Uh… Oh, sure.” He grew a cross expression, gesturing to Blitzwing with one of his hands clenched into a fist. “You tell your boss that if he ever tries to steal our gear again, this won’t be the last time we’ll come mess you up.”

Blitzwing practically snorted. “No, I mean…” He took a deep sigh. “How about we… try all this again later? If you say you’re actually interested.”

Bee felt his brain short circuit. “What?”

“Even after everything that just happened, I wouldn’t mind trying to get to know you. Maybe you can pick where we go out, maybe something more your speed?” He gave Bee a hopeful look, and Bumblebee practically melted as the words hit him.

“Right! Right, yeah, sure.” Bee squared his shoulders like he was only having a normal amount of euphoric, skyrocketing success course through him right then. His mind raced at the possibilities. Ice cream at his favorite shop? Or a walk downtown, unless it look too suspicious if they were both seen in public together?

“Anyways…” Blitzwing’s voice took Bee out of his thoughts. “You might want to get going.”

Bumblebee and the others took off like lightning, and Bee watched as the building became shrouded behind the other highrises and interstates. Though most of the collateral was located in Meltdown’s testing facilities, it seemed that the corporate head had forbidden any officers from going down there lest they find evidence of his aiding the crime syndicate. Despite some blurry security footage and witness accounts describing a yellow suit with wheels coming in from the parking garage that may have been the culprit for the stolen tools, it sounded like the group was in the clear. 

They all celebrated that night like their favorite sports team won the Super Bowl. Nino splurged some of their extra funds on gas station liquor, and glasses and laughter were traded around. As their faces warmed in the company, something else settled under their breaths.

“So, when do you think we should start packing?” Sam ventured.

“As early as we can tomorrow morning…” Nino sighed, his empty glass clinking on the wood floor where he sat. “No doubt there’ll be people out looking for us. It’s about time we hole up somewhere else ;til it all blows over.”

They all nodded solemnly. The prospect of having to leave their hideout held heavy.

“It’s just the four of us again, on our own. No protection from the Decepticons anymore.” No one wanted to meet his eyes. A spike of fear crept up Bumblebee’s throat. He was the one who had gotten so worked up that morning over the whole thing after all. The idea of the heist began from him.

Sam squeezed Nino’s thigh reassuringly. “We’ve got each other’s backs. We’ll do just fine. A-okay. No more having to pay his fees, either. All the money we make is ours.”

As Bee laid in bed that night, staring aimlessly up at the ceiling, he couldn’t help but replay the conversation with Blitzwing in his head. He’d never gotten to ask him for contact info. How was Bee supposed to get a hold of him if he’d dropped the dumbfuck’s phone in the street?

“So did you get it?” Blurr’s voice drifted up from the other bed.

Bee sucked in a breath. “Well, I did… Then I forgot to ask him to, like, gimme his number or anything…” He started to drum his fingers on his chest nervously.

There was more silence, until Blurr turned over and held up his hand. He shook his own phone between his fingers, with a sly but sleepy grin illuminated by the moonlight. “Did you forget who I’ve got wrapped around my finger now?”

Bee’s eyebrows practically shot through the roof as he realized. They were both dating Decepticons. “Oh, you absolute genius!” Blurr promised to contact Shockwave the next day about setting something up, and Bumblebee turned back over in bed, his insomnia this time because of his great luck.

Maybe he could finally nail one of these dates after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first semi-long story with more plot than just a simple prompt! I'm fairly proud of how this turned out, and I'd like to thank all the folks that helped me beta this, and to all those who patiently waited on this final chapter!  
> I hope to have more content for this au soon if people would be interested in seeing more. 
> 
> Critique is always appreciated!


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